JP2007006245A - Broadcast receiving device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a broadcast receiving device capable of simplifying setting of duplicated setting items. <P>SOLUTION: The broadcast receiving device comprises receiving means for receiving setting information including information in at least one side among local information and channel information from an information providing destination connected to a network, setting means for setting the setting information received by the receiving means, and broadcast receiving means for receiving the broadcast based on the setting information set by the setting means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus that receives a television broadcast or the like.

In television broadcast receiving devices such as a television broadcast display output device and a television broadcast recording device, different channel settings are required depending on the region in order to view or record a television broadcast. For example, a television broadcast receiving device has an automatic channel setting function for automatically searching for and setting a receivable channel. The user can use this automatic channel setting function to complete the channel setting of the television broadcast receiving device. Alternatively, a technique for setting channel information for a television broadcast receiving device using a channel setting remote controller that stores channel information in advance is known (see Patent Document 1). The television broadcast receiving apparatus can also assign a user-desired channel number to the set channel (customization of channel number).
JP2002-300486

  In an environment where multiple TV broadcast receiving devices are installed, the above channel setting is required for all TV broadcast receiving devices, and when the channel number is customized, it is common to all TV broadcast receiving devices. Customization is preferred (useful).

  It is very troublesome and burdensome for a user to set a channel for each of a plurality of television broadcast receiving devices and customize channel numbers.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem, and to provide a broadcast receiving apparatus capable of simplifying the setting of overlapping setting items.

  The broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes a setting information receiving unit that receives setting information including at least one of area information and channel information from an information providing destination connected via a network, and the setting information receiving unit receives the setting information. Setting information setting means for setting the set information, and broadcast receiving means for receiving a broadcast based on the setting information set by the setting information setting means.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the broadcast receiver which can simplify the setting of the overlapping setting matter can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a home AV network. As shown in FIG. 1, the home AV network includes a television broadcast receiving device (a television 1A, a video recording device 1B, a television tuner) having a function (tuner) for receiving a television broadcast via a communication network such as Ethernet (registered trademark). A plurality of televisions 1C and 1D) are connected. Furthermore, a television broadcast receiving device (video recording device 1E) having a function (tuner) for receiving television broadcasts is going to be connected to the home AV network via a communication network. These television broadcast receiving apparatuses can exchange information with each other via a communication network. Each television broadcast receiver is connected to an antenna line for receiving the television broadcast.

  In order to correctly receive a television broadcast and validate the function, it is necessary to set information such as regional information (prefecture and postal code) and channel information in a tuner installed in each television broadcast receiver. The channel information includes information such as a channel number to be actually received, a remote control button number corresponding to this reception channel number, a display channel number corresponding to this reception channel number, and skipping / not skipping during channel search. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of area information, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of channel information.

  Conventionally, the user has to set these pieces of information for each television broadcast receiving apparatus. That is, every time a television broadcast receiving apparatus is added to the home AV network, the user needs to set these pieces of information. Such setting not only inputs the same information but also requires time and burden on the user, such as a time required for channel scanning (resulting in the same result).

  In one home AV network, a channel number to be actually received out of area information and channel information in which a television broadcast receiving apparatus is installed can be uniquely determined. Of the channel information, information such as the remote control button number corresponding to the reception channel number, the display channel number corresponding to the reception channel number, and skipping / not skipping at the time of channel search should be shared among the television broadcast receiving apparatuses. As a result, user convenience can be improved.

The television broadcast receiver of the present invention acquires necessary setting information (at least one of regional information and channel information) from an information provider (another television broadcast receiver) connected via a network, Set the acquired setting information. Thereby, the user does not need to set a lot of setting information one by one, and the burden of information setting can be reduced. For example, the setting information takes a tag format as shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a television broadcast receiving device (television 1A, video recording device 1B, television 1C, television 1D, video recording device 1E). As shown in FIG. 5, the television broadcast receiving apparatus includes a tuner 2, an information setting unit 3, an operation input unit 4, and a display unit 5. The information setting unit 3 includes a setting information recording / generating unit 3A, a setting information transmitting unit 3B, a setting information receiving unit 3C, a setting information analyzing unit 3D, and a HW setting unit 3E.

  The setting information transmitting unit 3B has a function of transmitting an information request to an information providing destination (another television broadcast receiving device) designated by the user, and the setting information receiving unit 3C provides information in response to the information request. It has a function to receive information sent from the destination. In addition, the setting information receiving unit 3C, in response to an information request received from an information request destination (another television broadcast receiving device), sends information required by the information request destination to the setting information recording / generation unit 3A (for example, FIG. 4), and the setting information transmission unit 3B has a function of transmitting (replying) the generated information.

  The setting information analysis unit 3D records information that can be set by the HW (hardware) of the own device, compares the received information with information that can be set by the HW of the own device, and can set the HW of the own device. It has a function of providing only information to the HW setting unit 3E. The HW setting unit 3E sets the information provided from the setting information analysis unit 3D in the HW.

  The tuner 2 receives a television broadcast based on information (region information and channel information) set by the HW setting unit 3E, and outputs the received broadcast. The operation input unit 4 receives an operation (instruction) from the user and notifies the information setting unit 3 of the operation (instruction). The display unit 5 displays operations (instructions) received via the operation input unit 4 and displays information set in the information setting unit 3. For example, a menu screen for setting various types of information can be displayed on the display unit 5, and the user can set various types of information via the menu screen using the operation input unit 4.

  Here, a case where the video recording apparatus 1E is additionally connected to the network will be described. When the video recording apparatus 1E is connected to the network, the setting information receiving unit 3C of the video recording apparatus 1E recognizes the presence of another device (information providing destination) connected to the network. In this case, the television 1A, the video recording device 1B, the television 1C, and the television 1D are recognized as other devices. A menu screen can be displayed on the display unit 5 of all television broadcast receivers including the video recording apparatus 1E, and the area information shown in FIG. 2 and the channel information shown in FIG. 3 are set via this menu screen. Can do.

  For example, a manual setting button and an information collection setting button are displayed on this menu screen. When the manual setting button is selected via the operation input unit 4, the area information shown in FIG. 2 and the channel information shown in FIG. 3 can be set one by one at the user's will. On the other hand, when the information collection setting button is selected via the operation input unit 4, the setting information receiving unit 3C collects setting information from other devices (for example, the television 1A, the video recording device 1B, the television 1C, and the television 1D) via the network. Then, the setting information collected by the setting information analysis unit 3D is analyzed, and the setting information collected by the HW setting unit 3E is set.

  For example, when the video recording apparatus 1E is connected to a network, a list of network connection devices can be displayed on the display unit 5 of the video recording apparatus 1E. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, a television 1A, a video recording device 1B, a television 1C, and a television 1D are displayed as a list of network connection devices. The user can select a predetermined device from the network connection device list via the operation input unit 4. The predetermined device selected here is an information providing device (information providing source) for the video recording apparatus 1E.

  For example, it is assumed that the television 1A is selected (a plurality of devices can be selected). An information acquisition request is transmitted from the setting information transmitting unit 3B of the video recording apparatus 1E to the television 1A, and the setting information receiving unit 3C of the television 1A receives this information acquisition request, and the setting information recording / generating unit 3A of the television 1A. Generates the setting information of the television 1A in the format shown in FIG. 4, and the setting information transmission unit 3B of the television 1A transmits (replies) the setting information to the video recording apparatus 1E. The setting information receiving unit 3C of the video recording device 1E receives the setting information transmitted from the television 1A, and the setting information analyzing unit 3D analyzes this content. As a result of the analysis, information applicable to the video recording device 1E is extracted from the setting information transmitted from the television 1A, and is transmitted to the HW setting unit 3E according to the content, so that the HW setting unit 3E actually The same content as the information of the video recording apparatus 1E is set.

  As described above, the user can complete and use the device settings without inputting the same type of setting information for each device.

  The setting information set in the video recording device 1E can be edited by the user's intention through the operation input unit 4. In this case, when an information acquisition request is issued from another device to the video recording apparatus 1E, the edited setting information is transmitted (returned) from the video recording apparatus 1E. As a result, the editing result of the setting information can be easily reflected on other devices. For example, only the setting information of one device is edited, and the other device only receives the edited setting information, and the editing result can be easily transferred to all devices without editing the setting information of all devices. Can be reflected.

  When a plurality of devices (a plurality of information providing sources) are selected from the network connection device list, the setting information is transmitted (replied) from the plurality of devices. In this case, the setting information analysis unit 3D selects only common information from among the plurality of setting information, and sets only applicable information among the selected information. Thereby, only general setting information is reflected (special setting information not common to each device is not reflected). Alternatively, common information and non-common information among the plurality of setting information may be displayed on the display unit 5 so that the user can select them.

  In the above description, regional information and channel information have been described as setting information. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as the setting information, playback control information related to the main video (information such as image quality selection setting), playback control information related to the sub-video (information such as caption display / non-display and caption language selection setting), and playback control information related to audio (Information such as language selection settings) may be used.

  In the above, the case where a device is added to an existing home network has been described. For example, when the entire home network to which a plurality of devices are connected is moved, setting information is set for any one device (editing the set setting information), and this setting is connected to the home network. By transferring to other devices and setting them in other devices, the setting of a plurality of devices can be completed at once.

  As described above, the user does not need to make settings for each of the network-connected AV devices having a plurality of similar function settings, and can easily complete the function settings by inheriting setting information from other devices. Can be used. That is, each time a new device is added to the network, the user can easily set necessary information for the new device without inputting and setting the same information. In order to realize the proposed function using the network, the user does not need to determine the master device, and therefore needs to understand and be aware of the complicated content of maintaining and managing the master device settings. There is no. In addition, when a group of AV devices connected to a network is moved and installed, it is possible for other devices to easily inherit this setting simply by setting one arbitrary device. Further, since the apparatus automatically determines whether the setting information of the other apparatus can be applied to the own apparatus, the user does not need to be aware of this.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, the embodiments may be appropriately combined as much as possible, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the column of the effect of the invention Can be obtained as an invention.

It is a figure which shows an example of a home AV network. It is a figure which shows an example of area information. It is a figure which shows an example of channel information. It is a figure which shows an example of setting information. It is a figure which shows an example of schematic structure of a television broadcast receiver. It is a figure which shows an example of the list display of a network connection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1A ... TV, 1B ... Video recording device, 1C ... TV, 1D ... TV, 1E ... Video recording device, 2 ... Tuner, information setting unit 3, 3A ... Setting information recording / generating unit, 3B ... Setting information transmitting unit, 3C ... setting information receiving unit, 3D ... setting information analyzing unit, 3E ... HW setting unit, operation input unit 4, display unit 5,

Claims (6)

Receiving means for receiving setting information including at least one of area information and channel information from an information providing destination connected via a network;
Setting means for setting the setting information received by the receiving means;
Broadcast receiving means for receiving a broadcast based on the setting information set by the setting means;
A broadcast receiving apparatus comprising:   The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitting unit that transmits the setting information. Editing means for editing the setting information set in the setting means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the setting information edited by the editing means;
The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: Display means for displaying one or a plurality of information providing destinations connected via a network;
Selecting means for selecting a predetermined information providing destination from one or a plurality of information providing destinations displayed by the display means;
With
The receiving unit receives setting information from a predetermined information providing destination selected by the selecting unit;
The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1. The receiving means receives a plurality of setting information from a plurality of information providing destinations,
The setting means selects and sets common information among the plurality of setting information.
The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1. The reception means receives at least one of the playback control information related to the main video, the playback control information related to the sub-video, and the playback control information related to the audio from the information providing destination,
The setting means sets the received reproduction control information;
The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1.

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